Right: Grand Slamm (Grand Diamond x Nileya by Niga), 1984 stallion at Strands Minnesota Arabians, traces to Skowronek 23 times, through *Raffles, *Rifala, *Raseyn, Naseem, and *Rossana. Middle: Milton and Virginia established Strands Minnesota Arabians at this 30-acre farm at Welch, Minnesota in 1976. Bottom: When Ed and Milton and their families settled at the Iowa farm in 1969, building stables and pastures was the top priority. Here’s how the barns and pastures looked in the early 1990s.
In the late 1970s, Ed tried a new bloodline, but one with a connection to his old tried-and-true lines. “At the farm of Minnesota breeder Toik Halberg (Halberg Arabians, Iron, Minnesota), Ed spotted Hal Gibby, when he was just a youngster,” Vivian recalls, “The colt was of particular interest to Ed because his dam G-Amaka is a daughter of G-Amigo. Hal Gibby’s first Strand-bred foals were born in 1981, and we bred mares to him 14 times.” Hal Gibby added a pure Polish line through his sire *Hal Gazal (*Eleuzis x *Bufa by Negatiw). The Strands continued to breed to Niga and to his son G-Amigo, as well as to Niga descendants Chal-Migo, El-Migo, Le-Amigo, Nigas Magic, and Nigas Witez. In the late 1980s, Ed added Delmarel Patriot (*Padron x Delmar -El Judeah by Garis) and Winmills G-Ameron (G-Amigo x Waraq by Warande). Through Volume 71 of the stud book, the Strands bred to “Patriot” seven times, to Winmills G-Ameron 12 times. The mare G-Valentina (G-Amigo x Gallamett), the most prolific mare, produced ten foals for Ed and Vivian from 1970 through 1987. Other mares used four or more times: Bint-Niga (Niga x Martez by Nitez); G-Amigos Maria (G-Amigo x Mamba by Czartez); Mar-Challe (Chal Migo x Martez); Nigas Tiffany (Niga x Aretis by GAmigo); and Witezia (Niga x Fathalla by Tiran), all with one or more lines to Niga or Nitez. While Milton and Ed’s breeding programs met with success in marketing and showing, the second generation of Strands got into the breeding. Milton and Virginia’s sons Alan, Jon, and Mark, and Ed and Vivian’s sons Dale, Merrill, Ron, and Jody all became breeders, all using the same bloodlines. Jody Strand, Ed and Vivian’s youngest, “began going to horse shows before he was born,” as Vivian says, “and I can’t tell you how many stick horses he wore out in the aisles of horse show barns. When Jody was four, Ed put him up on Niga, saying he trusted Niga more than he would any pony, another indication of the temperament of that old horse. By the time of his high school years, Jody knew his destiny: horse trainer.” “Dad was the main influence in my becoming a trainer,” says Jody. “Just watching him show G-Amigo and all the
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